The Osceola times., 1887-07-16
A STRICKEN CITY.
Harley. wisconsin. fsr the Fourth Time
Prey to tho Flames-Fuiiy Score OF
Lives Lost aud . Haif Million Dollars.
worth OF Property DESTROYED.

Lives Lost aud . Half Million Dollars.
worth OF Property DESTROYED.
ASHLAND. Wis, July lL-For the fourth
time in ITS brief history the mining town
OF Hurley, on the Gogebic range has been
visited with terrible fire, this time TO
the almost total destruction of the town,
and the loss Of nearly IL not quite score
OF lives, while less than two weeks ago
dune 26), two blocks in the business GEN.
ter were burned TO the ground In as many
hours at a cost Of 500, 900. The tract de-
Saturday was swarming with
workmen, and in a short time would have
been rebuilt on much larger scale than
before.
The workmen laid down their tools at
six o'clock and drew their weeks wages
which two hours later many OF them
were spending In the saloons down town.
Between eight and nine o'clock the
Alcazar Theater lager-beer hall and va
riety show on Main street was swarming
with these and other patrons. gamblers
and attaches OF the place.
One Of the latter, a waiter girl and va
riety-actress, went TO the top loft OF the
building with an oil lamp The lamp she
is presumed to have dropped, for almost
the lower floor, fame OF fire shot sky
ward from the roof Of the building, and
a second later the structure was ablazs
from cellar up. A large building, out
like every thing else in Hurley, construct
ed wholly of fat pine, IL fell an instant
prey to the fire.
The upper floors were filled with wom-
en-, who, realizing their terrible plight
with no possible escape from deatn'
added their screams TO the already in-
describable chaos, and through the glare
these wreiched creatures were seen and
heard but for a moment before the n lmes
folded on them and swallowed them up.
Tbs Alcazar stood for less than half an
hour.
The ad Joining building was a grocery
abundantly stocked with coal oil. The
grocery took fire on the instant and a
barrel of the oil was ignited and an ex-
plosion followed, and tho doom OF the
place was settled.
The town was built upon north side
hill and extended from the Lake Shore
railroad tracks, southwark up TO the sum-
init Of the range A street leads up from
the Lake Shore station past the Burton
House, large hotel, TO the shaft Of the
Gormania mlne. lntersecting this street
at right angles, and running along the
bottom of the slope east and west Is the
main street Near the corner OF these
two thoroughfares stood the Alcazar, TO
the south and east of which, in region
about third Of mile square, lay almost
the entire city.
The wind blew sharply from the ORTIZ
hot ha Ia n ri m
the pathway Of the flames, as they arose
from the Alcazar building after building
succumbed as the fire marched east and
northwest Sparks and cinders mounted
on the wind and were sent far ahead with
the message of destruction. Every house
was wood box, and courted the n mes.
The fire department, whose chief, warned
by the disaster OF last month, had resort
ed to daily training Of his forces was
found TO be powerless in the general
panic. Men could not be controlled OF
made to work.
Nor was this the worst Like all min
ing camps Hurley swarmed with tin-horn
gam blers and roughs long since banlshed
from more civilized communities to such
as these. Public disaster was private
feast Far from workin TO help save the
city, they contributed TO the spread of the
destru c,ion, carrying brands Of fire into
buildings not yet touched, and taking ad
vantage Of the panic TO loot at large
Dozens of these scoundrels were seen II
the streets boldly replacing their worr
garments with suits of clothes snatched
from the shelves Of burning tailor shops
Nothing escaped their hands. They seized
bottles of liquor from the saloons and
drank till some of them fell down un'
conscious in the midst OF the devasta tion,
and were burned to death.
Within an hour every thing In Hurley
east Of the street running up the hill wa'
in ashes, and the people, such as had
themselves escaped the flames, were
either wi div rushing about the edge ol
the ruin or else standing on the brow OF
the hill stupidly staring at the terrible
scene.
The Burton House, by great good fort
une, was barely saved, though the flames
at one time crossed the street and got un.
der its roof. Many thus found shelter
who must otherwise have spent the night
in the woods. A number of those who
had saved some property from the fire o
two weeks ago were quartered In the dis
their possessions.
The financial loss will reach nearly
half a million dollars. Most OF thu
burned buildings were rude, but many OF
them contained valuable stocks, and some
of the saloons were extensively fittcl
up.
Nearly IL not quite hundred and tifty
buildings were consumed. Among thes'
were the bank of Hurley and the Ameri
can Express Company's Office, whost
safes are visible, upturned in the ruins
A large church was also burned. AL
that remains OF the town Is the Burtor
| Hotel and another smaller hotel, the Lake
Shore depot and two or three new resi-
dences on the very summit Of the slop,
whose detached position saved them.
There is no insurance, as all the com
panies Cancelled their policies imm cd late
| lv after the late fire The Western Ubior
| office was destroyed, and there was M
| communication with this town, forty
miles away, until yesterday mornin Q
| The conductor, Jones, of the Lake Shor,
| train, which passed through Hurley a
| half-past seven o'clock yesterday morn
| ing reported the total destruction of tn,
town as described. The express agent o.
| the same train found time to g about tn,
| ruins. He says that on the open stree
| was stretched In row twelv,
bodies already taken from the ruins
charred beyond recognition. Under tn,
ruins OF the Alcazar, in a pile OF Goals am
charred timbers so hot as to be unap
proachable, we're visible three other
bodies. Tho opinion prevailed in Hurley
az N n rrlh N OF
| 10 be found. 50 great is the consterna
| tion thus far and so recent the shock thai
no special effort has been made 70 inves
| tigate further.
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